1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to flexible pipe adapters, and particularly to an adapter for interconnecting in fluid communication a corrugated drainpipe and the inlet opening of a sewage disposal site.
2. Background Art
In order to maximize enjoyment of recreational vehicles, when parked at a camp site, it is desirable to quickly and effectively connect the outlet of the discharge soil pipe of the vehicle in fluid communication with a waste disposal site inlet opening quickly and effectively. A flexible drainpipe called "corrugated pipe" is often used for this purpose. Formed from a coiled spring imbedded within a plastic casing, it offers both the strength and flexibility needed for typical camping use, and yet compresses axially for storage purposes. The casing extends along the helical outline of the coiled spring to provide it with the appearance of a corrugated pipe.
Such a drainpipe usually has a diameter of approximately three inches, to provide adequate drainage for most recreational vehicle requirements. Sections of like pipe can be coupled together, end-to-end, in fluid communication, to achieve a line of desired length. One end of the line is coupled to the outlet of the discharge pipe on the recreational vehicle, and the other end is coupled to the disposal site. A fitting is usually employed at the disposal site end, and is adapted to be attached to the drainpipe and inserted through an inlet opening at the disposal site.
However, the existing fittings used at the disposal site end of the line suffer from certain drawbacks. For example, some existing couplers are designed to have one end forced manually into the drainpipe, and the other end inserted loosely into the inlet opening. Considerable effort and skill is required to force such fittings into the drainpipe. In addition, the resulting joint is not entirely mechanically secure. Furthermore, the loose fit at the disposal site end allows noxious fumes to escape, and allows accidental and unwanted dislodging of the fitting from the disposal site inlet opening.
There have been many different types and kinds of couplers and adapters, some of which have been employed for recreational vehicle waste disposal lines. Refer, for example, to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,231,595; 3,760,430; 2,988,755; 4,173,989; 4,133,347 and 4,223,702. However, none of the foregoing patents disclose devices capable of the abovementioned problems.
Consequently, it is desirable to have a new and improved adapter device for coupling a flexible drainpipe to a disposal site inlet opening in a convenient manner. It is furthermore desirable to have an adapter that can be rapidly assembled to the drainpipe, and then to the disposal site inlet, with little skill and attention. It is desirable to have an adapter that produces a better, stronger, tighter joint. Moreover, it is desirable to have an adapter that mates with different disposal site inlet opening sizes, as well as preventing, or at least inhibiting the unwanted escape of noxious fumes at the connection to the inlet opening.
There have been many different types and kinds of couplers and adapters. Refer, for example, to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,231,595, 3,760,430, 2,988,755, 4,173,989, 4,133,347, and 4,223,702. But, none of these solve the problems mentioned above.